


Plastique

by ZpanSven



Series: Carrie Allen is the Flash [7]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014), The Flash - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Always a Different Sex, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, F/M, Gender or Sex Swap, Genderbending, Joe is going to be pissed, Rule 63, aka Carrie tells Iris everything, because carrie can't keep her secrets from Iris long, significant canon diverence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-30
Updated: 2015-06-04
Packaged: 2018-04-01 12:29:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 8,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4019770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZpanSven/pseuds/ZpanSven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a bomb explodes downtown, the army rolls in and takes over. Carrie and Iris have a talk about the Streak and who she really is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It was nice getting Caitlin and Cisco out of STAR Labs; Dr Wells had declined the invitation to join them. She smiled as Eddie and Hunter entered the bar to join them. Iris lit up immediately and was by Eddie's side in a heartbeat, letting him lift her up off her feet for a kiss.

Carrie snickered at them from the table the group was sitting at. It was close to the bar, so they had quick access to the drinks.

“I thought I mentioned triple-dates were a bad idea?” Hunter asked he sat on a stool beside her.

Oh did he filled out those jeans so very nicely...

She blushed and jerked her eyes away before she could be caught staring, lifting her drink with a laugh. “Oh its not. Caitlin and Cisco are just coworkers who are hanging out with us.”

He eyed her drink and the corner of his mouth quirked up as he drawled in that gravelly voice. “Should I be checking your ID, Ms Allen?”

She could hear Iris snickering behind her as she and Eddie sat down at the table. “Oh shush.”

“You do look terribly young,” Eddie agreed.

“Oh please. I've been legally old enough to drink for three years now,” she grumbled. “Go check Cisco's, he's got the babyface of all of us.”

“Do not!” Cisco squawked from over at the dart board.

“You do,” Caitlin disagreed, causing him to huff in annoyance.

“I'm glad you invited Cisco and Caitlin,” Iris said softly.

“They are cool, right?” she looked to her sister in worry for approval.

“They saved your life, Care-Bear – that makes them the coolest people on the planet to me.” She smiled. “I'm glad you guys ended up becoming friends.”

“So are we,” Caitlin said as they sat down; a round of shots had been poured up for them and there was of course a quick round of introductions to go along with it. Except for Eddie and Hunter who had to make due with sodas. There were drawbacks to being on call.

“To friends,” Iris said, lifting her shot glass; everyone at the table lifted their own for the toast. “old and new!”

The glasses clinked together as they echoed in agreement: “To old and new!”

And with that, the shots were tossed back.

“Oooh!” Iris gasped and shivered at the burn of the alcohol; she wasn't the only one – apparently Caitlin wasn't much of a shots girl either. Even Cisco was gasping.

Carrie just giggled at them even as Hunter eyed her in surprise as Eddie rose to his feet.

“College was enlightening,” she said innocently, even though inside she was a little worried; she'd had a couple shots and a margarita earlier, she should be feeling pleasantly buzzed by now. “Especially when your roommate liked to throw back shots in your dorm room.”

He laughed as Eddie was resetting the dart board for a new round.

“Well, I'm up!” Iris slipped out of her chair and headed over to her boyfriend, announcing: “I am going to destroy you!”

“Don't get cocky, West!”

“She's going to kick your butt!” Carrie called out.

“No she's not!” Eddie retorted.

“Not literally anyway, its way too nice,” Iris teased.

“She that good?” Hunter asked, watching Eddie throw the first dart.

“Oh yeah! We should have the winners play each other, decide who's the best,” she recommended before getting up and getting a fresh round of drinks for the table from the bar.

She had gotten several shots, enough to raise the eyebrow of the bartender; he didn't really comment – shots were half off tonight. Hunter had gone to the bathroom by the time she returned and she set the tray down by Cisco and Caitlin.

“...I think...I might have a problem.”

“I know I do when guys like him and Hunter exist,” Cisco said glumly into his beer.

“They are hot,” Caitlin agreed and immediately blushed as Cisco sent her a wounded look. “From a genetic standpoint. Because I'm a geneticist. ...I'm sounding like Felicity.”

Carrie shook her head and took a careful glance around. “Actually I'm talking about well...”

She slammed back the shots at super-speed and met their wide eyes. “I can't feel it. At all.”

“Yeah that usually happens when you drink too much....” Cisco was glancing between her and the empty shot glasses.

“I'm not even buzzed, the alcohol doesn't seem to be affecting me at all. I know my limits, from before the lightning and I should have been buzzed when we did those shots a few minutes ago.”

“Its your hyper-metabolism,” Caitlin said in awe. “I need a sample...”

“I'll get more shots,” Cisco said, carting the empty tray of shot glasses back to the bar.

Caitlin was rummaging through her purse. “I swear I had a Vacutainer in here...”

“...you carry a blood collection kit in your purse?” Carrie asked in disbelief.

“You have your hobbies, I have mine,” she retorted.

“Uh...could we not do that here?” Carrie asked nervously, glancing at where Hunter - who had paused by Eddie and Iris's game of darts – stood. “I'm weird enough already and he's super nice to me...”

She paused and glanced between Carrie and Hunter thoughtfully before giving the younger woman a faint smile. “Alright. I'll make a point to buy several large bottles though, for the tests of course.”

Cisco sat the fresh tray of shots down just as Iris dragged Eddie over crowing about her victory.

“What'd I tell you?” Carrie asked smugly,

“You were right, she is damn good,” Hunter laughed.

“To Iris keeping Eddie in his place. May he remember it well,” Carrie chuckled, passing the shot glasses out to the others; when Cisco arched a brow at Caitlin, the doctor discreetly shook her head. Later, her look said.


	2. Chapter 2

Hunter watched Carrie slam back another shot, an eyebrow arched. “Do...you have hollow legs or something? Where are you putting all that?”

“I want to know how you're still upright,” Iris asked in surprise – Carrie never really drank much to begin with.

“Honestly, I think with how that lightning bolt messed me up, it made me a little more tolerant to alcohol than I was. I'm barely even buzzed!” she explained it away.

Eddie and Hunter's phones buzzed in unison. Looking at the screen, Eddie paled. “There's been a bombing - 8th and Pass.”

“Go,” Iris pushed him. “Do what you gotta do, its okay. I got an early shift at Jitters so I'm heading straight home.”

“Yeah, I'm pretty beat,” Caitlin yawned.

“It is getting late, lets get a cab,” Carrie said as a cover.

It didn't take long to get to STAR Labs and change into her suit. In seconds she was racing trough the streets and skidded to a halt in an alleyway near 8th and Pass.

And then she heard it, faint in the wind: “Help! Help!”

Oh shit--- 

Her hand went to the comm on her ear. “Guys, there's a window washer and he's about to fall.”

“Don't try and catch him,” Cisco told her; faintly she could hear the bar noises from over his cellphone. “You don't have super-strength.” 

“Well then what do I do? Find a nearby bedsore and stack a whole bunch of mattresses?!”

“This isn't a Roadrunner cartoon,” Caitlin said in exasperation.

She could hear him screaming for help again as she backed up, studying the skyscraper. If only she could run up the side of that----wait.

“How fast wold I have to go to run up the side of a building?” she blurted out.

“How far up do you need to go....?” Cisco asked uncertainly.

“I'm not sure? Maybe fifty meters...”

She could hear Cisco faintly muttering as she watched the window-washer hanging there with wide eyes.

“...I need to know now or I'm going to wing it,” she warned.

“Just run really fast,” Caitlin interjected, “and make certain to maintain your velocity on the way down or uh...”

“Or what?”

“Splat.”

Carrie groaned at her. “Great.”

She took a breath and with a silent prayer to whoever might be listening, bolted forward. Her heart was pounding with fear and then with excitement as she ran vertically up the side of the skyscraper. As she approached the window-washer, she could see the fraying cable he was hanging from snap.

He was falling in slow-motion to her; speeding forward, she snagged him out of midair and remembering Caitlin's warning, maintained her velocity even as she ran back downwards with the man held securely. The rig he had been working from was falling behind them and it impacted hard against the pavement as she stopped with the man several feet away from it.

And then, as she released him, she looked up over his shoulder to see...Iris?!

Her eyes were wide, perhaps as wide as Iris's before she bolted away. 

She wanted to tell her sister, but not like this! How much of her face did Iris see?


	3. Chapter 3

The damage in daylight was worse than she had pictured it to be....

“Carrie?” Joe called out; she looked up at him “What have you got?”

“Bombers tend to have their own unique signatures,” she said as she stood and approached him. “Crimped wires, fragmentation... The level of sophistication is telling, once I've analyzed it... You show me a bomb and I can find a clue in it.”

“I sense a 'but' coming...” Joe said in growing dread.

“A big one – I've not found any trace of an oxidizing agent,” she gestured frustrating at the spot that was the source of the explosion. “Its like the floor just blew itself up.”

“Things just don't blow up...”

“The security guard says our bomber is a red-haired woman,” Eddie announced he he walked up. “Must've cut the security camera's feed. There's no footage, but there might be something else. “ He gestured for them to follow him. “Some kind of small charge blasted the doorknob off.”

Behind that door was a massive room lined with filing cabinets. Joe eyed the contents with a growing sense of dread. “Any idea what's missing?”

“My guess is one of these files,” Eddie aid, gesturing helplessly. “Its going to take days to figure out which one!”

Joe grimaced and shook his head. “Let's let Carrie do her thing...”

Eddie gave her a sympathetic pat on the shoulder while walking by her as he followed Joe out. Closing the door behind them, she took a breath and got to work.

She didn't flit about like she wanted to, leery of someone glancing through the windows, but her fingers moved through the files at a blur, searching for something that was supposed to be there but wasn't.

And then she found it. A smile crossed her face as she lifted up the out of place file.

\---------

There was a soldier standing beside Joe as she stepped off the elevator. Curious by that and the strangely composed expression she had come to recognize as him suppressing irritation, she approached them, cradling the box of evidence in her arms.

“Joe?” She glanced between him and the solider. “What's going on?”

“General Eiling is relieving us from the bombing case.” he informed her, gesturing to the solider beside him. “Give these men everything that's relevant.”

“...okay...?” she blinked between them and held the evidence box out to the solider.

He took is and began to walk away; in a blur of super-speed, however, she snatched an evidence bag containing the papers left behind from the missing file from the box, hiding it out of sight. Joe glanced at the evidence bag concealed between them and then nodded.

“You and a few civilians at STAR Labs might want to look into that.”

She smiled. “I think we might.”

\-------

“A VA file number is all the info you have on the bomber?” Cisco asked.

She was pacing back and forth in the Cortex. “Unfortunately. CCPD has been ordered off the case.”

“Who has the power to do that?” Caitlin asked in confusion.

“The Army,” Carrie huffed, crossing her arms over her chest as Dr Wells rolled into the room. “Some General name Eiling.”

“General Wade Eiling,” Dr Wells said, the corner of his lip turning down in disdain.

“You know him?” She blinked at him in surprise.

“Yeah, I know him,” he grimaced faintly. “About ten years ago, General Wade Eiling contacted STAR Labs to develop enhanced gene therapies for soldiers. I was interested in the potential medical benefits for civilians. But what General Eiling really wanted to develop was mind reading capabilities for interrogation purposes. I stopped the studies immediately when I saw his techniques up close, but our split was less than amicable.”

“He just took all the evidence I collected on a bombing that happened last night. Everything,” she paused and handed him the evidence back, “except this folder.”

“Well,” Cisco said as he spun a bit in his chair, “Lucky for us the VA finally joined the new millennium and digitized their records...” he pulled up a file onto his monitor. “There's a lot of redacted info, but our girl is named Bette Sans Souci – an EOD specialist for the Army.”

“EOD?” Caitlin echoed.

“Bomb,” he clarified.

“...oh.”

Carrie glanced over at Cisco as she approached the suit, “Is there a last known address for her on file?”

“Hold on, let me check...” he peered at his monitor, clicking away. “Okay, there is one person listed for emergencies – Cameron Scott, Anglewood.”

She nodded, “Great work!”

And in a blur, she was suited up and gone, racing across Central City and towards Anglewood. There was a woman walking down the back alleyway that looked like the picture.

She came to a halt in front of her. “Bette Sans Souci?”

The bomber's eyes had widened in shock and she turned on her heel, bolting down the alleyway. Carrie sighed in faint annoyance; really? She blurred forward, cutting her off.

“I need you to come with me,” she said, exasperated.

“Don't touch me, please!”

...why did she look so scared....?

“I'm not going to hurt you but there's this General looking for you and I doubt you want to be here when he finds you...” she said, reaching for Bette's hand reassuringly.

“No, you don't understand—” When Bette reached out to push Carrie's shoulder....there was a strange purple radiating from her hand print. Her eyes went huge. “Oh God, I'm so sorry--- Whatever you're wearing you have to take it off right now, it's going to blow up!”

Carrie was equally as wide-eyed and sped down the alleyway, away from Bette and the Apartment building, stripping down at high-speeds. It seemed like the second after she had removed her suit, as she skidded to a halt in only her panties, the suit detonated in a firebomb.

With her arms crossed over her chest, her first thought was: 'Cisco is going to be so pissed....'


	4. Chapter 4

Her second thought had been: 'Oh my god I'm naked in public!'

And then she had run back to STAR Labs at full speed, running through the Cortex past Cisco and Caitlin to where they stored some spare clothes for her. She returned to the Cortex after pulling on a tee-shirt and pair of sweatpants.

Finding herself on the receiving end of their confused looks, she blushed hotly. “Please don't ask....?”

“Uh no, I am going to ask: Where is my suit?!”

She winced at Cisco. “Umm....well...its gone?”

“What do you mean its gone?! What did you do with my suit!”

“Its not my fault, she was the one who blew it up!” Carrie wailed. “I barely managed to get to of it before it went KABOOM and I was naked practically in public and its all sorts of embarrassing can we please never speak of this again?!”

“My suit went kaboom?” he demanded in disbelief.

“Fun fact about Bette Sans Souci – she isn't carrying bombs. She is a bomb! She touched the suit and literally turned it into a bomb.” Carrie took a breath. “She's a meta-human.”

“With the ability to cause spontaneous combustion upon tactile contact,” Dr Wells said while rolling into the Cortex.

“She blew up my suit,” Cisco whined to Dr Wells.

“You got like three more!” Caitlin rolled her eyes.

“Okay, I have two and I loved that one!”

“It was the most comfortable one,” Carrie agreed before sighing. “What else do we know about her?”

“Oh I don't know, she's pure evil!” Cisco wailed. He whirled back to his monitor with an aggravated sound. “We're going to find this girl and send her butt into the Pipeline.” He fumed. “No one blows my tech to smithereens and gets away with it.”

And then when Bette's face appeared on the monitor, Cisco went from furious to love-struck in the flip of a switch. “...unless she looks like that.”

Cisco sat down, staring at the picture open mouthed while Carrie glanced over at Caitlin.

“I don't think she meant to hurt me, she seemed genuinely scared.”

“Her being a meta-human does explain General Eiling's interest in her,” Dr Wells sighed as Joe was walking in.

“And why he stole the case from us,” the detective agreed. “He didn't want anyone to know what she could do.”

Dr Wells glanced up at Joe as he walked past. He smiled faintly, nodding in greeting. “Detective.”

“Doctor.” Joe perched on the edge of the table, “So. A human bomb.” He took a breath and let it out. “Must be Tuesday in Central City.”

“Yes,” Dr Wells agreed. “General Eiling is not one to give up a potential asset without a fight.”

“Then we have to find her before he does,” Carrie said softly.

“Carrie? Can I see you for a second?”

She blinked at Joe in confusion before following him out into the hall; oh dear did they figure out she had held back that folder....?

“When were you planning on telling me that Iris saw the Streak? And what was up with you telling her I'm making you keep a secret from her?” He asked in annoyance.

“To answer the second one: Because you were being very childish and hypocritical. And for the first, that was not planned, she caught me by surprise.”

“We have a deal – we keep her in the dark, about the meta-humans and about what you can do.”

Her lips compressed into a tight line. “No, you told me you didn't want her to know and despite my better judgment, I did agree. But I don't like lying from her. She's my sister and has a right to know!”

“Shes writing some sort of blog, who knows what sort of loonies that will attract. Look at what happened with yours!”

“I know, I warned her about that. So did my friend Felicity!”

“So warn her again!”

“Joe, she's Iris, she does what she wants and telling her to not do something makes her dig her heels in all the harder,” she said in exasperation.

“Just...try!”

“Fine,” she huffed and when he kept looking at her, she eyed him. “...what you mean right now?'

“Yes!”

“Urgh...”

In a blur she was gone.

\-------

She'd only popped into her apartment long enough to put on actual clothing before finding Iris at Jitters.

“Would you please stop writing about the Streak?” she huffed. “Or at least be more low-key so Joe'll stop worrying some loony will come after you?”

“Dad's complaining to you about this?” Iris asked in exasperation.

“Yes. I think he blames me forgetting you interested in the paranormal and unexplained. And the less than steller attention my blog gets sometimes makes him even more paranoid.”

“He'll just have to get over it, I'm not a little girl anymore and this is a great chance to get my foot in the door for my career.”

“You and I both know that but I don't think he cares,” Carrie sighed. “You know how irrational he can be.”

“Why do I get the feeling this is connected to that secret you mentioned? When I brought that up, I thought he was going to have an aneurysm.”

“Because you are very perceptive and great at putting things together,” she replied. “Its why I suggested journalism to you when Joe wouldn't let you join the Police Academy.”

Her phone rang and she pulled it from her pocket – Cisco. She glanced at Iris. “Got to take this, its work."

“Okay. I have to get back to my shift anyway. We need to give Dad a sit-down soon though.”

“Definitely,” she agreed and answered as Iris walked away. “Hello?”

“We piggybacked onto General Eiling's own surveillance,” Cisco told her. “According to what they are saying the lovely Ms Sans Souci was spotted in Anglewood.”

“The same neighborhood as Dr Harold Hadley's office,” Caitlin added. “The military surgeon who performed several procedures on her. That's why she was looking for the folder.”

“You have to get to her before Eiling does,” Cisco added.

“On my way.”

\----

She sped into the Center for Inflicted Wounds run by Dr Hadley, coming to a halt behind Bette; the doctor behind the desk stared at Carrie's sudden appearance in shock as Bette spun to face her. As Carrie opened her mouth to warn her, a muffled shot rang out, shattering the glass and a round struck Bette in the shoulder, sending her to the floor.

Carrie was beside her, mindful of her touch though. “Are you okay? This place is surround by Eiling's men and we need to get you out of here. I can do that, I can even help you understand what happened to you.”

“How?” Bette frowned at her.

“Because...it happened to me too,” she confided. “And others. Please. We have to go!”

The,window shattered again and time slowed for Carrie – it was a flash-bang grenade, meant to stun them both. She scooped Bette up and sped out of there even as it went off.

\------

She'd watched the simulation of the particle accelerator exploding before, but Bette hadn't.

“---and as the detonation dispersed through Central City, a number of people were exposed to a wave of unqualifable energy. And one of those people was you – you had moved to Central City ten months ago,” Dr Wells explained as Caitlin handed Bette a pair of gloves.

“I...had just returned from Afghanistan....” she said as she pulled the gloves on. “I was there defusing roadside bombs and shrapnel ripped through me. I was flown back stateside, spent months at the base recuperating and the next thing I know I became the thing that almost killed me...and Eilings' favorite new lab rat...”

“The Dark Matter must have combined with the bomb's particulates inside your body...”

Bette frowned. “I thought Eiling did this to me...”

“Eiling,” Dr Wells interjected, “is no where near smart enough to make someone like you, but he is clever enough to see your value.”

“Do...you know of any others that were changed? Carrie mentioned there were...”

“There have been a few,” Caitlin replied.

Love-struck Cisco smiled dreamily at Bette, “But none have looked like you.”

Carrie face-palmed on Cisco's behalf behind Bette. Oh boy.

“I'm sorry, that was inappropriate,” he laughed nervously. “Please don't leave?”

Caitlin leaned in towards Cisco and informed him: “I know how to perform a lobotomy.”

He whimpered.


	5. Chapter 5

It was odd to be on this side of the monitors and not the one sitting on that exam table.

“The cellular structure is like nothing I've ever seen,” he murmured.

“Her nitrogen levels are off the charts,” Caitlin added.

“...do you think we can help her?” Carrie asked Dr Wells, leaning over his shoulder and peering at the monitor in worry.

“To answer that question we have to understand how she works. And to understand that, we have to see her in action.”

“You want her to blow stuff up!” Cisco practically squealed in glee. “Yes, now we are talking!”

“Has he always wanted to blow things up or is this new?” Carrie whispered by Dr Wells's ear.

“He always had a fondness for it,” he replied softly before leveling a look at Cisco. “Not in here, she's too unstable.”

“I know,” he whined.

“I know you know,” Dr Wells sighed and the corner of his mouth quirked up at Carrie's soft giggle near his ear.

Faintly she could hear Caitlin and Bette speaking but all she could think about was looking down at Dr Well's shoulders and neck, which were strong and roped with muscle. Huh. Must be the physical therapy to help him adjust to the wheelchair...

As she was wondering what his shoulders would feel like under her hands – naughty, Carrie, naughty – she heard Caitlin exclaiming about Bette being shot. Her head shot up even as Bette spoke in horror:

“It's a tracker!”

And the alarms beeped; on one monitor was the security feed for the elevator leading down to them....and it showed was General Eiling, surrounded by soldiers who were armed to the teeth. She stepped to the side, giving Dr Wells berth.

“Lock down the Pipeline and get Bette out of here!” Dr Wells said as he backed his chair up. “I will take care of Eiling.”

“Be careful,” she said softly and was relieved as he met her eyes and nodded.

“You as well, Ms Allen.”


	6. Chapter 6

The abandoned Ferris Airstrip had become a refuge, just like STAR Labs had. Right now it wasn't Carrie who was showing off her abilities, but Bette. The Frisbee the red-head flung soared through the air for several seconds before detonating into a fireball. Carrie couldn't help as she clapped in excitement.

“Four-hundred and twenty-seven KPAs,” Cisco was gleeful from where he was at his monitor and Carrie tuned him out, exchanging a glance with Bette. 

They walked down the airstrip a bit, leaving Cisco and Caitlin behind.

“How are you feeling?” Carrie asked softly.

“....” Bette glanced over at the younger meta-human before looking back down the airstrip. “When I was in Afghanistan, the insurgents started booby-trapping cars. So I spent the rest of my tour terrified of touching another vehicle. But now...I'm going to spend the rest of my life terrified of touching other human being.” 

Carrie winced faintly; she had thought what had happened to her, the looming possibility of never having children was bad....but not being able to touch another person, especially someone you loved?

“Have they tried to help you?”

She looked at Bette. “They've been helping me learn to use my powers to help others, not...reverse them.”

“If they could reverse them, so that you're not a....meta-human...would you?”

Not being a meta-human...she could definitely have children, at least she hoped she'd be able to but... Carrie liked her powers. 

Liked being able to help people.

“...I don't think I would. A good friend of mine told me that he thought that I had been given my speed for a reason, that I was...chosen. I don't know if I believe that, but I always wanted to be able to help people.” She shrugged sheepishly. “And with my speed I can help so many people and I...like being able to help them. There's drawback sot my powers sure but...I think the good I can do outweigh them.”

And then her phone started to buzz in her pocket; pulling it out, she saw it was Joe. “I have to take this...”

Stepping away, she accepted the call. “Hey, Joe.”

His voice was heavy with disapproval and disappointment. “I doubt your talk with Iris was a rousing success – she just posted another story about the Streak.”

Carrie pinched the bridge of her nose in aggravation. “Joe...of all people who should know how stubborn Iris can be, I'd think the man she got it from would be it.”

“It has her name is on it, Carrie – her actual name! She's not being anonymous anymore.”

“Joe, this is important to her, it could kickstart her career. She's not a little girl anymore,” she pleaded with him. “Please, have faith in her...and in me.”

He made a sound on the other end of the phone. “I shouldn't have asked you to talk to her. It just made her more determined.”

“Like I told you it would,” she said in exasperation. “Joe...we aren't little girls anymore. We're women, women with jobs and dates and all the things that make life....LIFE. We know you want to keep us safe and we love you, you're our Dad, but you have to realize we don't live in a vacuum. We grow and change.”

His sigh was so heavy and she hoped she was getting through to him. “I...just wanted to let you know. Keep an eye on her, Care-Bear, just in case....”

“I will.” She sighed and hung up, running a hand through her bangs.

“What was that about?” Cisco asked, eyeing her phone in concern.

“Iris posted about the Streak again and Joe's not happy about it,” she shook her head. “And he's freaked out because she signed her name to it this time.”

Cisco winced, understanding Joe's worry. “Oh that's not good...”

“I know...”

“What if one of the bad meta-humans we're dealing with thinks she might know something about you and---and---”

“And they may target her, I know,” Carrie sighed.

\-------

It was closing time at Jitters. The bell rung as she entered, causing Iris to call out: “We're closed!”

Iris whirled when the sharp wind went behind her, stirring up napkins and stray pieces of paper. And what she saw when she turned was....the Streak! Standing on the other side of Jitters, standing there and staring at her wearing that red leather uniform she had seen from the other night.

And then the Streak blurred forward, moving through and around Jitters, leaving clean tables behind it and only stopping at the door...locking it. Iris stared at the back of the Streak, watching the shoulders slump before the Streak took a breath.

A voice she had not expected came from the Streak: “Iris, we need to talk.”

“Carrie?!”


	7. Chapter 7

The blind over the door was pulled down before the Streak – before Carrie – turned around. With the curtains and blinds pulled, she felt safe enough to reach up and peel the mask back to reveal her face to her sister.

“You're the Streak? This whole time?!”

“This is the secret Joe made me promise to keep,” Carrie explained with a wince. “I...wanted to tell you from day one.”

Iris pointed to their favorite corner table. “Sit. I'll get the coffee.”

\------

“So the lightning did it?” Iris was trying to wrap her head around....THIS. This was one hell of an info-dump being dropped on her and she was trying to sort out the massive chunks into smaller pieces.

“Partially. The storm the night of the particle accelerated exploded was seeded with all sorts of things – dark matter and other theoretical particles. Its affected more than just me though.”

Iris's head snapped up and she stared at her sister. “What?”

“STAR Labs calls us...'meta-humans'. We have...abilities of varying ranges. And not all of them are wanting to help people like me,” she explained, telling her about the previous meta-humans she had faced already – Clyde Mardon, Danton Black, and Kyle Nimbus – giving summaries of the battles and their powers. “That's why Joe didn't want you writing that blog, why I warned you to be careful,” she explained, her hands, freed from the gloves, wrapped around the familiar ceramic of the coffee mug. “Why on Earth did you put your name on the latest article?”

“I wanted Dad to see I was serious,” she shrugged and looked over at Carrie. “...you know, I started that blog because of you. And I don't mean the Streak you either.”

“Me?” 

Iris nodded. “I wanted to prove you right. After all the things you went through, all the things you saw...and...” she glanced at the red suit. “...and wow. Of all the secrets...”

“I hated every second,” she promised. “But Joe...had a valid point. There are crazies and some of them are going to be meta-humans who won't hesitate to hurt you if they think you knew who I was or how to get in contact with me.”

“I know but nothing in life is safe,” Iris said with a shake of her head.

“We know that but Joe...still sees us as those little girls in pigtails getting on the school bus,” she said wryly.

“Honestly I think he still sees me in diapers,” Iris muttered with a frown.

“It would not surprise me,” she snorted in agreement.

“Meta-humans, huh?”

“You can't write about what I'm telling you,” Carrie said sharply. “Its too dangerous and we don't know everything yet. I'm only telling you this so you will understand the danger.”

Iris bristled. “The public has a right to know!”

“I agree, but if we aren't careful when this sort of information is released, can you imagine the witch-hunts for possible meta-humans? It'd be Salem all over again!” she rubbed her temples and sighed. “And...right now for meta-human criminals there's no way to lock them in regular jail cells. The only option we have right now is retrofitting the Pipeline at STAR Labs to act as makeshift holding cells. And I hate that. Its not...legal or right but there's no other choice. How else are we to keep the city safe from a homicidal serial killer who turns into a poisonous mist?”

Iris winced. “And you did say he was technically, legally dead so...I don't know how he'd fit in the legal system either...”

“I don't mind you sharing reports about me as the Streak – I hate that name by the way – but....what I've told you, has to be kept secret. At least until we can figure out something.” She gave her sister a grin. “Just think of it as you'd be gathering sources and information for a huge expose, one hell of a scoop. That Lois Lane woman from the Daily Planet will be jealous as hell!”

“I do like the idea of that...” Iris grinned back at her and for a movement it was like the two of them conspiring as little girls again. “So, do you have another name in mind since you don't like the Streak?”

“The Flash,” she responded immediately.

“Where'd that come from?” Iris blinked at her.

“Well it was the Arrow's idea.”

“The vigilante in Starling?!”

“You remember how Felicity said the adventure we went on had a reasonable explanation at the end? He was the explanation.”

“You guys meet the Arrow?!” She leaned forward, “Details, girl! I hear he's hot!”

“Oh God yes he is,” Carrie sighed wistfully. “All rough and gravelly voiced and stubbly and that leather.... Mmm....”

“Its nice to hear you talk about someone other than Dr Wells like that,” she teased.

“I'm starting to wonder if I have a fetish for muscular men in obscenely tight clothes. Between the Arrow, Hunter, and Snart....”

“Snart? As in that Leonard Snart guy Dad always is ranting about?” Iris's brows arched. “Girl, I think you just like dangerous badboys. Excluding Hunter and Dr Wells.”

“...you know I've been half-way tempted to run over to Gotham, investigate that vampire guy they are supposed to have swooping about stopping crime...”

“If you do, take plenty of pictures. Hopefully he'd show up in them, vampire or not.”

This was nice. How it was supposed to be, Carrie decided as she and her sister giggled with one another over their coffee in their favorite corner table.

\------

The tension in the Cortex was palatable when Carrie walked in the next morning. She glanced between Bette and the three scientists in worry.

“Whats' wrong? Did Eiling find out you're here?”

“No,” Bette shook her head at the younger woman. “Caitlin was about to give me the not-so-good news...”

Alarmed, she glanced over at Caitlin, who was biting her lower lip. Carrie felt her eyes drawn to Dr Wells and his eyes were darkened, grim. She felt the pit of her stomach fall to her knees.

“The shrapnel in your body has merged with you on a cellular level.” Caitlin said softly.

Dr Wells leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on his thighs as he regarded Bette. “The technology required to unsplice your DNA...” he shook his head. “It hasn't been invented yet.”

“Bette...” Carrie began softly and the soldier was shaking her head.

“Its okay. Roger that....” she took a breath. “I just need a minute.” She pushed herself to her feet and stalked away. “Don't worry I'm pretty sure I can cry without blowing stuff up.”

Carrie bit down on her lower lip, trailing after Bette a few steps before stopping, raking her hands through her hair. God...

“What now?” Cisco asked.

“She joins us,” Carrie said softly, turning back to them. “Becomes part of the team.”

“Carrie...” Caitlin stepped forward. “You have an amazing ability to help people. She...makes things explode.”

“That doesn't matter!” she shook her head. “She...she's the first meta-human we've meet that isn't hellbent on leveling Central City.”

“Its too dangerous,” Dr Wells disagreed.

“You're not sending her to the Pipeline!” she bristled

“Its not my suggestion that she go into the Pipeline, but if she were to remain here at STAR Labs, it will put all of us at risk,” he explained.

“From Eiling?”

“Eiling is a dangerous man, Carrie. We do not want him as an enemy.”

“...after the lightning bolt, what if you hadn't found me?” she asked softly. “It could have been me, hunted and on the run, cut off from everyone I knew and cared about. You guys saved me.”

“And I want to save her just as bad as you do, Carrie” Caitlin said, gesturing to Dr Wells and Cisco. “We all do.”


	8. Chapter 8

Joe was waiting for her in her lab. For a movement she felt panic that Iris had told him she knew everything, until she saw he was reading a case file.

“Joe? What are you doing here?” she asked.

He set his coffee down and gestured with the file. “Going over your Mom's old case. How's it going with you?”

“Stellar,” she smiled wanly at him. “I've made friends with a human bomb who I promised I could help and now I find out that there's no way I really can...” She took a breath and plunged ahead; in for a penny, in for a pound. “And I told Iris.”

“You told Iris what exactly?” Joe asked cautiously.

“Everything, Joe. About me being the Streak, the meta-humans. Everything.” She braced herself.

“You did what?!” Joe was on his feet. “You promised me---”

“You made me give a promise I didn't want to keep,” she retorted. “Keep a secret from my sister that she had every right to know. It put her in more danger keeping her in the dark then telling her the truth, Joe! How would you have felt if I had run from you that night, had kept this from you, all the the name of keeping you safe?”

He jerked back in surprise. “But you didn't.”

“Because I couldn't stand up!” she snapped. “I thought about it, Joe, before I even ran out there that night to stop Mardon. If I had the strength to have done it, I would have run away before you ever got close enough to see me. You said...some pretty painful things to me that day and I wasn't sure if I was ready to forgive you for them.”

“...you really would have kept this from me?”

“...you hurt me. So yes, I would have, until I thought I could trust you to not try and admit me to the psyche-ward.”

Joe ran his hands down his face. “I wanted to keep her safe!”

“How is letting her fumble around in a dark room full of dangerous things safe?” Carrie sighed. “She knows the danger now. She has me on speed-dial if anything hinky happens. I can be by her side in seconds from just about anywhere in the city. And she knows she can go to STAR Labs if she needs help or is needing to find me.”

She shook her head. “With the meta-humans in the city...its safer for her to know what to look for. This is for the best, Joe. I made her promise to keep a lid on the meta-humans and everything else until we can get everything in line. Not else in the department is aware of Meta-humans exists and the law certainly doesn't, and has no way to contain them...”

He gave a deep sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. “I hope you're right in this, Care-bear. I really do. I should get home and check in with Iris then...”

He stepped forward, opening his arms for a hug and she blurred forward, wrapping her arms tight around his waist. “Its better we're all in this together, Dad. If I knew they weren't recording the calls, I'd be out at Iron Heights letting Dad know too.”


	9. Chapter 9

She didn't like the feeling she had when she walked into the Cortex; the air was thick and Cisco looked upset, Caitlin leaning forward with a hand on his in a consoling manner.

“...what's going on? Where's Bette?”

“She left,” Cisco said, visibly depressed.

“What do you mean left? Where'd she go?” Carrie was more than a little alarmed. Had Eiling gotten too close and spooked her? She glanced towards Dr Wells as he rolled his chair towards them.

“She didn't say,” Dr Wells said, shaking his head.

“But--- Where the hell could she be?”

A monitor beeped and Cisco whirled, his fingers flying over the keyboard. “That's the military feed! It...it loos like they've gone to the waterfront to meet with Bette!” He leaned back in disbelief. “She...she's turning herself in...”

A hollow feeling set in her guts even as she turned away for her suit. “No she's not. Oh God...”

Carrie raced for the waterfront as fast as she was able to go, her heart pounding more for fear for her friend than the exertion of the run. In the distance was explosions and she cold see the soldiers on the ground even as she skidded to a halt before Bette, who reared back in surprise.

“What are you doing here?!”

“Getting you out of here!”

“Not until I know Eiling is dead,” Bette disagreed, shaking her head.

“Please don't, you're a soldier, a protector, not a murderer,” Carrie pleaded.

Bette was opening her mouth when a gunshot went off, striking the soldier; Eiling had only been stunned not killed and the redhead was falling until Carrie caught her.

“No! Bette!” She pushed her mask back, baring her face as she held her friend. “I'm sorry, I didn't see him, just hang on, I'll get you---”

“Its not your fault,” Bette interrupted her. “I'm glad you stopped me.”

“Save your strength, I'll get you back to STAR Labs,” she said, nearly hysterical.

“Carrie....” she panted. “Dr Wells...he...”

He what? She was confused and then terrified when Bette's eyes rolled back and her chest stopped moving. “Bette?! Bette!”

She felt frantically for a pulse and found...nothing. Carrie choked on a sob of grief, swiping at her eyes. And then...she saw it. The purple glow spreading through Bette's veins.

“Oh God... Guys, we have a problem!”

“Is Bette okay?” Cisco demanded.

“She's...Eiling killed her,” she keened. “She's glowing...I think...I think she's going to detonate!”

“Oh my God,” Caitlin breathed. “A mass that size, the explosion would be---”

“Devastating,” Dr Wells said.

“Carrie, you have to get her away from the city right now!” Caitlin said.

“But there's no time!” she said, looking up and around; this place was so isolated the only place she could go was....the water.... “Can I run on water? I built up enough speed to run up the side of a building...can I do that with water? How fast would I have to go to be able to run on water?”

She could hear Cisco muttering the calculations and then Dr Wells's voice: “Approximately six-hundred and fifty miles per hour.”

“You have to outrun the blast!” Cisco added. “Or you'll die too!”

Carrie took a breath, pulling her mask back down over her face. Gently she scooped Bette into her arms. Taking another breath, she lunged forward, holding her friend's dead body towards her.

There was a fear she'd fall into the water when she raced onto it but she stayed atop the water. Water sprayed out behind her in streams as she ran through the waterways, heading from the city and into open water. Once she had gone out far enough into open ocean, she dropped Bette's body with a sob, racing away and back towards Central City. 

Back towards STAR Labs.

And then the explosion went off behind her; she could feel the vibrations under her boots, could hear the water rushing in a miniature tidal wave behind her. She was barely able to keep ahead of it, knew it would suck her under and probably crush her.

And finally, finally she was safe as the wave dissipated bit by bit and she reached the shoreline, where she fell onto the sand, curling into a ball and wailing her grief. 

She'd failed and this time it was a friend who had paid for it.


	10. Chapter 10

“Nothing out of the ordinary occurred,” Eiling said on the broadcast. “The military was simply conducting an underwater weapons test. There is no need for panic or alarm. Central City is safe, I guarantee it.”

“You lying sonovabitch!” Carrie howled, reaching for Dr Wells' trusty travel mug, about to throw it at one of the monitors when Dr Wells clamped a firm hand around her wrist. She looked at him, her eyes red-rimmed and watery with unshed tears. “He murdered her! Right in front of me!”

Her face crumpled. “And...there's nothing we can do to him...”

Dr Wells rubbed his thumb in soothing circles on the inside of her wrist. “Powerful men have a way of avoiding consequences...”

Caitlin placed a comforting hand on the younger woman's shoulder. “You going to be okay?”

“I...don't know,” she admitted.

“Hey...you can walk on water. That puts you in pretty interesting company.”

She sniffled a bit and gave them a watery smile. “I think...I'm going to go spend time with Iris and Joe. Eat a bunch of ice cream.”

\-------

Iris was there when she arrived at Joe's.

“Of you're going to do any laundry I have a load in,” she called out as Carrie closed the door.

“No. I...just need someone to talk to,” she replied.

There was a wobbly note in Carrie's voice that had Iris out of her chair and to her sister's side, taking in the red-rimmed eyes and splotchy face. “What happened?”

“Bette..the meta-human I was trying to help... She died...”

Carrie let Iris pull her into a tight hug, keening into her sister's shoulder. 

“Carrie...”

“We only met a few days ago but....it still hurts so much,” she sobbed. “I failed her, I couldn't save her in time and...”

Iris's hand was soothing as she petted Carrie's hair. “Lets get you some ice cream. I just bought some Raspberry Cheesecake Gelato...”

\-----

They had devoured all the ice cream and sweets in Joe's house before moving to a nearby bar. Carrie nursed her soda, really hating the lack of being able to get drunk. She was a bit surprised when Cisco and Caitlin walked up, sliding onto bar stools beside her and Iris.

“What are you guys doing here?”

“We came to join you in a toast for Bette.” Caitlin told her.

“You know that stuff doesn't work on me,” Carrie sighed and both Caitlin and Cisco looked alarmed, sending wide eyes to Iris.

“I know. Everything.” she supplied.

“I see...” Caitlin cleared her throat and shook her head. “Anyway. Of all people, Carrie, you should know that nothing is impossible.”

The doctor set a small bottle, the size of the little hotel bottles of alcohol, down on the bar before the speedster. “I distilled a highly fermented...” she trailed off at Iris and Carrie looking at the bottle and then at her. “Okay, its basically five-hundred proof moonshine that could give a normal person fatal alcohol poisoning in a couple drops.”

Curious, Carrie uncapped the tiny bottle and took a whiff; her eyes just about watered and her head jerked back. Fascinated by the reaction, Iris grabbed Carrie's wrist and took a whiff herself.

“I think I'm wasted by just the smell,” Iris wheezed, eyes watering.

“I figured if anyone could use a drink tonight, it'd be Carrie,” Caitlin said dryly before ordering a round of shots from the bartender. They picked up the shots and lifted them. “To Bette.

The shot glasses clinked with the bottle. “To Bette.”

It burned like the worst type of fire on the way down, causing Carrie to gasp and choke. It was worse then the first time she'd ever taken a shot in her life, holy shit! The trio around her winced as she gasped and spluttered.

“What was it like?” Iris asked, morbidly curious.

“That hit too quick,” she wheezed. And shook her head. “Its like....pure fire. Holy shit!”

“Are you buzzed?” Caitlin asked hopefully.

“Yes,” she gasped. “Wow. I was not thinking I could feel that again!” She laughed for a moment. “I'm actually buzzed. That is some good stuff and---” her face crumbled as that wonderfully buzzed sensation faded. “...its gone. Dammit.”

Caitlin's face fell as well before she brightened. “Its a work in progress.”

Iris chortled. “I can't wait to see what it'll take for Carrie to actually be able to get drunk again.”

“Just promise me you won't let me become an actual Streaker if I do,” she quipped.

This was how it was supposed to be. Old friends with new and most importantly...no secrets being kept.


End file.
